Murray, the Harry Potter books and novels are "present day" settings, but the wizarding world is more than a little out of step with the muggle world in terms of style, technology, and the like. Remember the flying car in the second movie? That was a 30+ year old English Ford. Think about the way wizards (who, unlike Harry and Hermione, weren't raised among muggles) dress. That they'd use cameras (to capture moving, 3-dimensional images) that look like something we'd associate with 70-80 years ago doesn't seem out of place at all -- and the combination of a bulb and powder might be just the magical side effects of the capture... _________________Is thirty-five years too long to wait for your first Speed?

The Notorious Betty Page from 2005 currently airing on HBOW has a lot of side RF Speed/Crowns in use in it. I'm watching over my shoulder while answering questions in the fourms and turned around to see a female photographer shooting a nude female model with a side rf Pacemaker and she was using it correct except that it did not appear to have a film holder it it but she was cocking and triping the shutter! There was even a Burke and James 4x5 on a tripod next to the Pacemaker. (soft focus used to obscure the name on the top lens board slider). A lot of the cameras in the opening court room scene appeared to be typical movie image adjusted. Now, back to the movie.

I watched at it again. A lot of early 35mm and Box cameras being wound and shutters snapped. A few TLR's being shown also. The most side rangefinder Pacemakers with Graflite 2773's with 7" reflectors and blue flash bulbs are in a court room scene being held and used Film Director Style. The studio shot where the photographer is using a side RF Pacemaker, rear peep site up without the front frame being raised is the real killer. At least the identifiable Graflex equipement looks new._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

The camera in the "Midnight Express" looks like a Graflex to me -- it's got the metal lens board, sync solenoid (despite having a sync cord plugged into the shutter, the solenoid lets him shoot with the right hand while the left focuses), and the top rangefinder; the housing doesn't look deep enough for a focal plane shutter, however (which would make it a Crown rather than a Speed). I can even see the notch in the housing where the focus knob nests. You may be right, though, it might be the 5x7 version, unless the photographer is pretty small. The aspect ratio of the wire frame looks more like 5x7 than 4x5, too.

For technique, I'd have my left hand off the focus knob once I took my eye away from the RF, but one can't always expect actors to learn how to use their props (especially if the tech consultants don't catch the error)._________________Is thirty-five years too long to wait for your first Speed?

It is definitely not a Graflex product, note the two range finder windows at the top of the camera body. There are only two makers of cameras that have RF windows like that, that I am aware oft, the Kalart Press and the Beseler Press.

The only info I can find on the Kalart shows a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 as being the only one. I have seen the Beseler 4x5 on ebay 10 to 12 years ago and they went for premium prices in poor condition. A google shows a little information but no pictures. It was made around 1960._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

Last edited by 45PSS on Sun Nov 07, 2010 7:17 am; edited 1 time in total

I have a Beseler press on my site http://graflex.coffsbiz.com on the military cameras page (it's an Air Force C-6 version but the same as the civilian version). Scroll down the page to Other Military Cameras.

And the range finder windows are larger on your Beseler pictures than the camera in question and the front standard lock is different on the Beseler pictures that you have._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

I saw this movie today and it showed a brief clip of art students in New York City doing film photography with a Graflex camera. The photographer, a pretty lady who had lost her vision, was still directing people to take artistic photos. Neat.

Hello ASpeedGraphic: As a retired movie critic, I was once told by a sound technician that the reason cameras make so much noise in movies and on TV (like an SLR with powerwind or a motor drive held close to the microphone) is that this sound Packs more Punch. It doesn't matter what kind of camera the character is using -- the discreet click of a leaf shutter or the FP shutter on a rangefinder camera is just not dramatic. Camera-carrying characters always use flash for the same reason, even if they're out in bright sun in the desert.

And that "It packs more punch" excuse is why you see a lot of "Press photographers" 6-8 feet away from the subject, but have their front standard pulled all the way out, so it's focusing about a foot and a half in front of the lens._________________"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison